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'Rape' accuser denies claims against Haslingden woman are fantasy

A WOMAN who said she was raped by a top choir director was a fantasist who told ‘a complete pack of lies’, a jury was told.

The alleged victim of Michael Brewer and his ex-wife, Hilary Kay Brewer, who was said to have encouraged the rape, was ‘indulging in the realms of fantasy’, a court was told.

She also claims the former music director at the prestigious Chetham's School of Music in Manchester indecently ass-aulted her as a pupil in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Under cross-examination in giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court, the complainant denied she made up the allegations.

She had previously detailed how the relationship with her teacher, Mr Brewer, progressed at the age of 14 from hugs in his unlocked school office to kisses, intimate touching and then full sex.

Their trysts would also regularly take place in unlocked practice rooms at Chetham's, in his camper van. He also abused her at his family home in Chorlton while his wife and four children were asleep or away from the house, she said.

Kate Blackwell QC, representing Mr Brewer, said to her: “You are indulging in the realms of fantasy.”

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She replied: “No, I am not in the realms of fantasy and I really understand why so many cases do not come to court."

The rape was said to have taken place at the Brewer family home when she was aged 18.

She has claimed that Mrs Brewer, of Knowl Gap Avenue, Haslingden, indecently assaulted her before leading her upstairs to the bedroom where she demanded Mr Brewer have sex with the complainant because she ‘owed her’.

The jury was told that her evidence was that they all stayed in the same bed together for the rest of the night.

Miss Blackwell said the alleged victim had spent the night at the Brewers' house with her own husband and children before catching a holiday flight.